What Do You Do To Avoid Burnout?
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Livin Veg offers some advice about how to keep on keeping on:
Being an activist can sometimes feel like the weight of the world is on our shoulders. Like everything we do or don’t do will not only impact the world, but will also tell us what kind of person we are. In my experience vegetarians and vegans tend to live their lives by their ethics. More than most people. Otherwise, in most cases, they never would have given up meat. But all of that weight on our shoulders can get awfully heavy.[...]
But the truth is activists tend to be pretty selfless people. I know when I do something just for me, I tend to feel guilty, like I’m being selfish. Like there are more important things I could be doing with my time. But, those selfish moments make me a better activist.
So, activists, I’ve got a few questions for you:
- How active do you think someone needs to be in order to be an “activist”?
- What do you do that’s “selfish”?
- Do you think burnout is a big problem? Or is it something else, like distraction or in-fighting?
First, to be an activist one must set an example, not just talk but actually reveal what we are talking about by our action, OUR APPEARANCE, for at 50 i blow people away by my appearance after i tell them i DONT EAT ANYTHING THAT SHITS! My Doc is also blon away knowing i’ve suffered from chronic asthma attacks since 5 after vaccinations and have been on life support 5xs from respiratory failure, as well. The way i eat, buy, live, work (Library) is my activism after also being exposed to Chicago’s StockYard/Slaughterhouse at the tender age o 9 and my dad owned a Bar B Q restaurant (1960-80) since im also a practicing Jain.
So as long as i can see my seeds sprouting out of my compost soil, toddlers screaming when seeing their favorite book at work and my body feeling euphoria after circuit training then sauna, then relaxing with a green smoothie,, i never feel burnout!
What a timely post! It was just last week that I was crying to my husband that I miss painting… I once fancied myself as “an artist”. But since I’ve been made aware of animal issues I hardly paint at all… When I’m at my easel, I always think I’m wasting time not doing “something” for the animals… It’s tough.
But as Carol Adams, patrice jones and many other advocates have said… It’s very important to maintain your physical and pyscological health. Burn out comes swiftly when you neglect your needs… I’m realizing that and have begun to “force” myself to take time for “just me”… I think all activists need to do this to continue to be effective. I don’t want to reach “burn out”.
I think an activists needs to “active” enough to respond when the responding might make a difference. One need not advocate all the time – if it’s clear that nothing is to be gained… There were many times (in the beginning) where I felt I just had to say “something” – even though I would have been better off just saving my energy for a better situtation…
I’m trying to get back to my easel – which would be “selfish”… I also enjoy an occassional good movie — I like relaxing in my backyard with the chickens; Love playing with my dog and my cats. (gosh I hate saying “my”)
Oh yeah… And I like to do yardsales – And that’s for my “selfish” reasons of advocacy… You’d be amazed at how many VO brochures you can give out to “captives” in their own homes!
I think burnout would be a bigger problem if we didn’t have the immense support system we have… And I think all advocates would agree that it’s totally understandable if someone needs to step away to refuel… Live to fight another day.
Bea Elliott´s last blog ..Why I Don’t Drink Cow’s Milk or Eat Diary – Get Weaned – Go Vegan